I just used Facebook Messenger to buy some shirts and it was pretty awesome

Conversing with customer service reps doesn't have to be a miserable, excruciating process. Turns out, it can be kind of fun. 

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Earlier this year, Facebook teamed up with online retailers Everlane and Zulily to experiment with using Messenger (Facebook's messaging app) as a customer service platform. I was first introduced to this innovation in October when I bought a raincoat on Everlane, an e-commerce startup that has no physical stores. Soon after placing my order, I got a text via Messenger:

everlane confirmation
Emily Cohn/Tech Insider

 

A few days later I got a follow-up when the order shipped, complete with shipping details and a delivery date. The whole process was pretty seamless, but the messages didn't tell me anything an email couldn't have.

When the item was delivered, however, they sent me a nice message thanking me for my purchase. It also said: "Please let us know if there's anything else we can do."

That got me thinking: What else could this customer service rep help me do?

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So, a few weeks later, when I realized my wardrobe needed some refreshing, I whipped out Messenger to see what Everlane, which is know for its stylish staples sold at reasonable prices, could do for me. 

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I sent Everlane a message at 8:19 a.m. By 8:20 a.m. a customer service rep had responded.

Everlane 1
Emily Cohn/Tech Insider

The sizing chart was somewhat helpful, but I knew what size I was based on previous orders.

Next, I got specific about what I was looking for. It started to become clear I was talking to a real, live human. Not a robot.

Everlane 2
Emily Cohn/Tech Insider
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The next text informed me that one of the tops I might like was about to sell out, which was helpful.

Everlane 3
Emily Cohn/Tech Insider

I was mid-commute, so I held off on placing the order until I could look it over.

I was pretty pleased with the selection the rep had made for me.

Everlane 4
Emily Cohn/Tech Insider

I even liked the long-sleeve shirt the Everlane rep threw in my shopping cart. I hadn't asked for it, but I decided to go with it. 

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There was also a $15 credit in my account that the rep had added "to help with a future purchase."

Everlane 3
Emily Cohn/Tech Insider

Awesome.

All I had to do was place the order, which I did once I got to my desktop computer at work. Then I got the following message:

Everlane confirm
Emily Cohn/Tech Insider

Order confirmed! 

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Before leaving the chat I asked the question I had been wondering all along.

Everlane robot
Emily Cohn/Tech Insider

Mysterious! 

 

 

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The rep later clarified...

everlane human
Emily Cohn/Tech Insider

The whole process was so personal and easy. Next time I want to shop on Everlane or contact its customer service, I would definitely go through Messenger. 

I reached out to Everlane (via email, not Messenger) to find out more about the Messenger integration, but the company declined to comment.

Currently, only a handful of brands use Messenger to communicate with their customers, but Facebook anticipates adding more businesses soon. 

Imagine if getting in touch with your cable company was that easy. 

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